Her Path
by KRHviolin
Summary: 1942. To confirm his suspicions, Dumbledore entrusts a Ravenclaw prefect to investigate the mysterious Tom Riddle. A complex relationship forms between the two prefects, tables turning as she delves deeper into the grim life of the young Dark Lord.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is my second TR/OC story, but it will be much longer and more involved. I'd really appreciate reviews/feedback for this because I'm excited about this story and I think it's going to be a good one :) This prologue may seem like it's too much about the OC, but I needed something to set up the character's background and relationship to Tom Riddle. I promise it won't be this focused on her the whole time. It's really all about Tom, after all, because he's amazing :P**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter.

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_**Prologue**_

Eva Forsythe looked at the photograph of her father one final time before placing it carefully into her crowded trunk. It was the morning of September 1. She would be boarding the Hogwarts Express in no more than three hours. What was usually regarded as a happy occasion was tainted by feelings of apprehension that she could not get out of her mind. She knew this year was going to be different. Something felt wrong to her, and the strangely cold and grey weather only increased her worries.

Her eyes drifted to the handsome bronze and blue badge pinned to her packed Hogwarts robes. A bold letter "P" was superimposed on top of the Ravenclaw eagle. The sight of the gleaming prefect badge made her feel a little better.

Eva had waited anxiously all summer for the letter confirming her status as a prefect. It had not come as much of a surprise, for she was surely the best female student in her year. A true Ravenclaw, she was both blessed and cursed with a passion for knowledge and learning. She could spend hours in the library delving into the subjects she loved, or entire afternoons by the lake pondering ideas and theories. Few people understood her behavior throughout her life, but at Hogwarts, and especially in Ravenclaw House, she felt truly at home.

_Home_. It was a word that she had never felt nor understood. Eva had never known her father, or the reason why he was missing from her life. All she knew was that he had been, or still was, a wizard, and that her mother, a Muggle, came to resent the magical world when he disappeared from their lives. Ever since Eva was a little girl, she knew that her mother did not want her.

All of this aside, she would be returning to her true home, Hogwarts, with many new and important responsibilities. She was told countless times that the fifth year was the most important. With prefect duties, preparation for O.W.L.s, and keeping up with assignments, Eva hoped that she would continue to be as successful in her studies as she had in the past.

She turned her gaze to the window. Her mother's small London flat overlooked a quaint, old-fashioned street with specialty shops and small houses. Only a few blocks away was the Leaky Cauldron, and behind that, the entrance to Diagon Alley. Eva was grateful she was so close to the magical world during the summers. As she gazed wistfully out the window, she began to reflect on the past four years of her life at Hogwarts.

Eva felt as if the time had been well spent. She excelled in her studies, gained the respect of her teachers, made a few very close friends, and acquired knowledge of the most fascinating subjects. Hogwarts was filled with infinite possibilities and everything she loved in life. Yet, there was something present in the castle that never failed to disrupt the sense of home and belonging she felt; something that filled her thoughts and daily life with uneasiness.

His name was Tom Riddle.

Eva still vividly remembered the very first night at Hogwarts: the long journey on the Hogwarts express, the boat ride across the lake, and the sorting ceremony. Not to mention the strange combination of fear, excitement, and nervousness at the unknown.

Eva first saw him as she got off the train at Hogsmeade station. He was standing in the middle of the crowded path, wearing faded secondhand robes and gazing intently at the immense castle in the far distance. People everywhere were rushing to find friends, collect belongings, and make sense of the hustle and bustle. She thought it was strange that he seemed to hardly notice the hurried commotion around him. When she heard a clear voice yelling "First years, this way!" in the distance, she was surprised to see him continue in the same direction as her.

His appearance and manner made him stand out from the rest of the first years. He was far taller than the other boys, and somehow looked much older. While others shivered with cold and uneasiness, he appeared entirely calm and collected. His eyes caught her attention first. The complete lack of fear in them was obvious, but there was something beneath the surface…something unnatural, lacking in innocence. These were not the eyes of an eleven-year-old boy.

Eva felt more anxious about where he would be sorted than her own future. She was not sure if she wanted to be in the same house as him. It came as both a relief and disappointment when the sorting hat announced Slytherin rather than Ravenclaw.

As the years passed, she found herself increasingly intrigued by and wary of him. There was something strange about Tom Riddle…but also something so familiar. Perhaps it was their apparent shared love of knowledge, similarly quiet nature, or unknown backgrounds that first attracted her to him. Their similarities did not go unnoticed by their teachers. They were often compared to each other, even in front of the other students, their work similarly praised for its thoroughness and high quality. Eva was never content to complete the bare minimum, and neither was Tom.

It was a strange relationship. They were not friends, but were not merely acquaintances either. Each was aware of the other. This consisted of the occasional nod or "Hello" passing each other in the hallways, a shared smile at a teacher's praise or joke, or perhaps an exchange of looks in the library or Great Hall. If there was some sort of competition between them, it was never spoken of.

Each year, Eva battled with impulses to get closer to him. It was particularly difficult in her fourth year, when everyone around her seemed to be sharing their first kiss and exploring new feelings. The strange changes in her body both frightened and impelled her. In the end, it was always his eyes that convinced her to stay away from him. The eyes that both revealed and hid, frightened and charmed.

Now, Eva was content to observe him from afar, to keep their relationship just as strange and ambiguous. But as she stared out her window and watched grey clouds drift across the darkening sky, she sensed that this apprehension she felt was somehow connected to him. For the first time in her life, she did not want to go back to Hogwarts.

If Eva could have known then how much things would change after this day, she would have surely given up all the knowledge in the world.

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**Please let me know what you think so far. I'd greatly appreciate it.**


	2. The Two Prefects

**A/N: Thanks a lot to anyone who's reviewed/favorited/looked at my story so far! Here's the next chapter, which sets things up and introduces the intriguing Tom Riddle. I hope you enjoy it, and please review. It makes me happy :)**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter.

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_**The Two Prefects**_

The cacophonous sounds of morning at King's Cross Station filled Eva's ears as she struggled to make her way through the hurried crowds of people surrounding her. They came from every direction, forcing her to steer her large, unwieldy trunk erratically to avoid collision with someone. The sounds of jarring voices and hurried feet reverberated loudly against the walls, and the whirl of the fast-paced crowds made it impossible for her to orient herself.

After what felt like hours, Eva finally reached the brick wall separating platforms 9 and 10. As usual, she slipped through the apparently solid boundary with ease, and the brilliant scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express greeting her cheerfully as she stepped through the portal. She felt an overwhelming sense of relief as she spotted wizard robes, pointed hats, owls, trunks, and familiar faces. Finally, she was where she belonged.

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle was already aboard the train, changing hastily into his school robes. He arrived early every year to dress before anyone else, fearful of being seen in the filthy Muggle garb that the orphanage provided for him. He carefully fastened his polished prefect badge to his chest and traced the silver serpent with his long fingers. He had worked very hard for this, harder than any other student in the history of Hogwarts, no doubt. Tom had played his part well, and it paid off. The power and privileges that came with being a prefect were essential for the plans he would implement this year. _If only those foolish Professors knew,_ he thought maliciously as he slipped his arms through the sleeves of his robe.

Smirking, he roughly pulled aside the curtains and peered out the window to the crowded platform below. There was a girl standing alone who caught his attention. It was unusual to see a student by themselves at Platform 9 3/4. Tom thought he was the only one who traveled here unaccompanied. As the girl came closer, he recognized her as Eva Forsythe, and then it made sense for her to be by herself. Eva's background was just as unknown as his.

There was a little game that Tom liked to play. A game that everyone was a part of, whether they knew it or not. He liked to determine the blood statuses of his fellow students.

Over the past four years spent at Hogwarts, he had found most everyone out. Tom even went so far as to keep a list, which remained well hidden from anyone else.

This sort of information was essential for later on…

Most of the Mudbloods were obvious from the beginning, but there were some students whose lineage was still a mystery to him. Eva Forsythe was one of them.

With her cleverness, he thought it impossible for her to be a Mudblood. Even _he _acknowledged her intellect. She had to be a half blood at least, although the name "Forsythe" never came up in any of his research. Perhaps, like him, her mother was the magical one.

He eyed her with interest as she pulled her trunk along the platform with difficulty. Believing that now was the time to play the gentleman, Tom turned away from the window and set off through the hall.

Meanwhile, Eva had finally managed to pull her luggage as close as she could to the train. She quickly stepped aboard the compartment and leaned down to grab the handles.

"May I help you with that?" said a soft voice behind her as she struggled to lift her trunk. Eva jumped and turned swiftly around, coming face to face with none other than Tom Riddle. She heard the trunk fall back down to the platform with a dull thud.

"Er—yes. That would be…helpful," Eva stammered as she watched him lean down and easily hoist the trunk aboard. Her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Thank you, Tom," she muttered.

"My pleasure, Eva," he said quietly.

"I see they've made you a prefect," her eyes drifted to the shining badge on his chest. He smirked.

"I'm sure you've been made one as well?" he inquired.

She smiled. "Yes, I have."

There was a slight pause as he searched for the right words.

"It comes as no surprise, of course."

Eva had not expected such a comment from him. She felt a strange flutter of nervousness in her stomach as their eyes met.

It was almost frightening, how handsome he was. Eva never thought that a face like his was possible. A face that seemed so unnaturally perfect in every regard, from the symmetry and proportions of his finely carved features, to the pale skin that strikingly contrasted with his dark hair and eyes. But there was one flaw in it. The same flaw that Eva had noticed the very first time she saw him nearly five years ago.

His eyes.

In appearance, they were as handsome as the rest of him. Impossibly dark, even in the bright light of the train compartment, with long lashes and crowned by thickly curved brows. They were filled with ambition and cleverness, power and pride, but behind the beauty was something wrong. Eva was sure that no one else had noticed before, but she knew. She had seen it over her years of observation. Something would occasionally reveal itself for a split second before being quickly concealed by his charming exterior…something that terrified her.

"Thank you," she said softly. Her gaze dropped to her hands. She hadn't noticed how tightly she had been clutching the handle of her trunk.

Tom Riddle gazed intently at Eva. She had changed over the summer, or perhaps he was seeing her clearly for the first time.

She was his opposite in physical appearance. Her long, wavy hair was an unusual silvery blonde color, the strands as thin and delicate as a spider's web. Her large eyes were a dark, earthy green against her pale skin.

She was no longer the small, timid bookworm he remembered from the year before. The little girl who went around unnoticed and seemed to drown in long hair and robes that were too big for her. She had grown much taller and leaner, although he still towered over her petite form. Her face had thinned and matured, revealing striking features that he knew would earn her attention, whether she wanted it or not. Her figure had also developed significantly, as he could tell by the clothes she was wearing. Tom was amused by the fact that she was clearly trying to cover herself up, not yet used to the changes in her body… but there was no hiding the woman she had become.

Eva shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, forcing herself to keep her eyes fixated on her hands. She knew he was looking her. She wished he would do something, anything, to break this strange moment.

"We have to meet with the Head Boy and Girl soon," came his voice, suddenly. "You should probably change into your robes."

"Yes, that's right" she said, glancing back up at him, grateful that he brought it up. Now she had a chance to leave.

"I'll see you in the prefect's compartment, then? And don't forget to put on your badge," he said, giving her a charming smile.

"Yes. See you later, Tom," she murmured, smiling shyly at him. Eva turned to go, pulling her trunk along with her as she walked briskly down the hallway.

_Green and silver, the colors of Slytherin,_ thought Tom as he eyed her with intrigue. Why had he never noticed that before? He turned on his heel in the other direction, knowing full well that from now on, he _would_ be noticing Eva Forsythe…

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	3. Friends

**A/N:** Thanks very much to those who have favorited/reviewed/given me any feedback on this story! :) This is still one of those introductory chapters where I set up more characters/background information. I hope it's not too boring...

Please review and let me know what you think so far. I greatly appreciate it :)

**Disclaimer: **It's called fan fiction for a reason. I don't own HP.

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_**Friends**_

The Hogwarts Express came to an abrupt, shuddering halt as it reached the flooded Hogsmeade Station at last. Collective sighs of relief could be heard throughout the compartments, for it had been quite a frightening journey. Even now, the treacherous storm still raged at full force. Heavy raindrops slammed against the windows, and the howl of the winds could be heard even over the loud whistle of the steam engine. The usually vibrant, welcoming village of Hogsmeade was and deserted and gloomy, obstructed by thick sheets of rain pouring steadily from dark clouds.

Students hastily disembarked as the train swayed precariously with the force of the winds. Friends and belongings were found quickly, as everyone was eager to reach the carriages and boats that would take them to Hogwarts.

Eva found herself stuck at the back of the crowd. She searched fruitlessly for familiar faces, wincing as the wind and rain stung her eyes. Suddenly, she heard voices calling her name over the sounds of the storm.

She turned and saw two shivering, windswept forms standing next to an unoccupied carriage, waving furiously in her direction. She smiled, filled with relief as she recognized them as her two best friends.

Eva had met Pauline Martin and Cordelia Lovegood her very first night at Hogwarts, when they had all three gotten lost finding their way to Ravenclaw tower. It had been quite an adventure to explore the castle after dark (and to almost get caught by the vicious caretaker, Apollyon Pringle). They were inseparable since that night, and their shared Ravenclaw traits only brought them closer together. Eva had not seen them since the previous term, unable to sit with them on the train because of her prefect duties.

They three reunited happily in the middle of the raging storm, laughing and taking turns hugging each other. They climbed into the sheltering carriage, immediately casting Warming Charms on themselves.

"Nice badge, Ms. Prefect!" laughed Pauline, a pretty girl with curly, shoulder length red hair and bright green eyes. Cordelia smiled kindly beside her.

"Congratulations, Eva. We're both very proud of you," she said in her usual dreamy tone. Much like the rest of the Lovegood family, she too had long dirty-blonde hair and wide blue eyes that gave her a somewhat pensive appearance.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you two," said Eva exhaustedly. "And thank you, that means a lot to me."

The three continued to converse amicably about each other's summers and hopes for the new term as the carriage climbed the bumpy path to the castle. As Eva caught sight of the majestic structure of Hogwarts, her heart began to beat faster.

It loomed almost threateningly above the carriage, strangely foreboding against the backdrop of the storm. The forest surrounding it was dark and daunting, its trees swaying eerily in the wind. The usually tranquil lake was like an ocean, waves crashing violently against the shore with the force of the winds. Normally, the approach to Hogwarts was a welcoming sight, but tonight it only caused her previous apprehension to return. She began to lose focus in the conversation. She found her thoughts turning unwelcomingly to Tom Riddle. If he were somehow connected to these feelings, Eva would find out soon enough...

Their earlier encounter had left her unsettled. To an outsider, it would have appeared cordial and respectful, an ordinary exchange between two peers, but Eva knew that, like Tom Riddle himself, there was nothing ordinary about it.

It was filled with paradoxes. Although brief in terms of time, every second seemed to last forever when he fixed her with his stare. Though he seemed the perfect gentleman in the way he spoke and acted, she felt that his intentions were far from honorable. Eva could not escape the feeling that something was wrong. Something sinister was beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to make itself known. She had felt his eyes on her even as she left him…

"Eva?"

She jumped at the sound of her name. The faces of her friends materialized in front of her as she was pulled back to reality. They were staring at her with concern.

"Are you all right?" asked Pauline.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry," she forced a laugh. "I'm just a little nervous."

They smiled somewhat uneasily at her, but the conversation continued cheerfully. Eva made sure to pay full attention this time, or at least pretend to, no matter how much her thoughts attempted to stray.

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle found himself glancing far too much at the entrance doors. He was sitting at his usual spot at the Slytherin table, alone for now. He did not join others…others joined him. Given that the table was situated on the very left side of the hall, it gave him a perfect view of the mass of students filing slowly into the castle. He saw many familiar faces, but none with the long, silvery hair or green eyes he was looking for.

Soon enough, others began to gather around him. This was a group that had been carefully chosen by over the years. It consisted of students both younger and older than him. Some were very weak, while others possessed ambition nearly equal to his own. Some were incredibly dense, while others sharp as a whip. He engaged them in conversation, feigning interest in their lives. They would all consider Tom Riddle their friend, but they served no other purpose but to follow him, to show anyone who doubted his normalcy that he had "friends". However, he kept a few especially close, notably Malfoy, Dolohov, Black, Avery, and Nott. He knew that those five would serve him well in the future…

Tom knew that he was considered popular in the school, but he despised the petty issues of adolescent social life that he was exposed to because of it. Ideally, he would have remained alone, for only he knew what he wanted, what was best for him, what he desired…

Someday, there would be a time and place for that. In this setting, however, it would look wrong. People would start to become suspicious of him, and that was the last thing he wanted to happen, no matter how little he cared about others' opinions.

This small, carefully chosen group served their purpose well. It gained respect from the students and kept the staff unsuspecting of him. They would never guess that someone as charming and well liked as Tom Riddle would cause any sort of trouble…

The house tables were nearly full when Tom saw Eva stride gracefully into the Great Hall accompanied by two other Ravenclaw girls. She walked past him with a rather tense expression on her face, but she did not look him. She purposely sat facing away from the Slytherins at the adjacent Ravenclaw table, situated across from her two friends. This small decision did not go unnoticed by Tom, and Eva did not go unnoticed by those around him.

To his left, Abraxas Malfoy gave a low whistle. "That one's certainly grown up, hasn't she?" he said quietly, grey eyes fixated on Eva. A few of the other Slytherin boys murmured lowly in approval.

"That Martin girl isn't looking too bad either," said Alphard Black a few seats away.

"She's a _Mudblood_, Black" spat Nott on his right, swiveling to face him. Tom's eyes narrowed.

"I know," Black chuckled. "But she's a sight better than that Lovegood girl, don't you think?"

Nott shook his head in disgust and nodded his head across the table to Antonin Dolohov.

"What do you think, Dolohov?" he smiled cruelly. "What about all those times you asked me to talk to Cordelia for you in Potions last year? Do you still want her to _love_ you_ good?_"

The burly, dark-haired boy twisted his hands, his face reddening with embarrassment. Nott and Black began to laugh and soon the whole group was in an uproar.

Tom cleared his throat and the noise ceased almost immediately. He smirked.

"Headmaster Dippet's about to speak," he said quietly, his dark eyes scanning the group of boys. "Being a prefect, I must ask you to pay attention."

Not surprisingly, they listened to him, turning their heads to the withered, balding Headmaster who had just risen from his seat at the staff table. Tom relished in the complete control he had over them. _Perhaps they will prove useful after all_, he thought.

When the usual start of term announcements ended, Dippet retrieved the tattered Sorting Hat and the long awaited ceremony began. Each First Year called to the front appeared more frightened than the previous one, but soon enough, all had been placed in their proper House. As soon as Dippet sat down, a delicious feast magicked itself onto the house tables, and the students gratefully helped themselves. It was well deserved after such a long and tiring journey.

The torrential storm continued amidst the cheerful chatter and the sounds of silverware scraping against plates. The rain and winds pounded the castle walls threateningly. Eva found herself staring up at the dark, enchanted sky of the Great Hall, unable to finish her dinner. She had lost her appetite, anxious not only about the tasks ahead of her as a prefect, but also by the fact that she could feel someone's eyes on her, and somehow she knew exactly whose eyes they were…

"Aren't you hungry, Eva?" asked Cordelia as she served herself a piece of hot apple tart.

Eva looked back down at her full plate and shook her head.

"I've eaten enough," she murmured. Pauline and Cordelia quickly exchanged looks, but this did not go unnoticed by Eva.

"I'm just nervous, that's all. It's hard to eat when you're nervous," said Eva, slightly annoyed. She just wanted some time to think and focus. She wanted to be alone, away from the stares and expectations of others. Why was she feeling this way when only a few days ago she had been so excited to come back to Hogwarts?

"What are you nervous about? Your prefect duties?" asked Pauline.

"Yes, that's exactly right," said Eva quickly. But it wasn't entirely true. Somehow, she felt as if those were the least of her worries now.

"Don't be silly," said Pauline curtly, not taking her eyes off her food. "We always knew you'd end up one."

"She's right, and I'm sure you'll be a very just and fair enforcer of the rules," added Cordelia.

There was a long, unsettling silence that followed these comments. Their tone had been surprisingly harsh, and did she detect a hint of sarcasm? Eva suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Is everything okay?" she said nervously. They glanced at each her but didn't answer.

"Listen, I don't want my being a prefect to change anything about our friendship," she pressed on. Pauline and Cordelia exchanged looks again.

"It's not that…" murmured Pauline. "I guess it'll just take some getting used to."

There was another uncomfortable pause.

"It was upsetting when you didn't sit with us today on the train," said Cordelia straightforwardly.

"And you've been acting awfully peculiar today," added Pauline. Eva sighed.

"I'm sorry about that. Really, I am" she paused. "The storm made things especially difficult for us prefects. There were so many things to attend to…and I'm sorry for being strange. I guess it's just the nerves getting to me."

Eva swallowed. Her friends smiled faintly at her.

"It must have been a tough day for you," Cordelia said plainly.

"You probably need sleep more than anything else," said Pauline.

Eva wasn't sure how to react. She had been hurt by her friends' comments, and they had not yet accepted her apology. It was only the first night and already she felt strangely isolated. Her apprehension seemed to build by the second as several disconcerting thoughts ran through her head. They didn't seem to understand…or were they simply jealous?

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